Michael Hooper urges Wallabies to back up pre-tour Lions banter around young gun Henry Pollock

Lions young gun Henry Pollock has been making enemies on tour this winter - but one Wallabies great has warned Australia’s banter brothers to make sure they back up their pre-Test chat.

Let the boys go at it!

That’s former Wallabies captain Michael Hooper’s response to the pre-tour banter between Carlo Tizzano and a few of the Lions’ backrowers.

Tizzano has already engaged in some friendly back-and-forth with England’s Tom Curry, before imitating rising star Henry Pollock’s ‘pulse check’ try celebration.

Meanwhile, the 20-year-old Pollock displayed his willingness to engage in a bit of niggle during the Lions’ opening tour game against the Force.

Hooper, who played all three Tests for the Wallabies when the Lions were last here, loves it.

“Oh mate, I’m a fan now, so let the boys go at it,” he said when asked for his thoughts on the pre-Tour sledging. “It’s just an added storyline, so now the chat off the field needs to be backed up on it.”

Michael Hooper in action for the Wallabies against the Lions in 2013. Picture: Getty Images

While Tizzano will likely start on the bench with Fraser McReight the front-runner to wear the number seven jersey – and Pollock can play anywhere in the back row – the loose forward battle at the breakdown will be key in deciding the outcome of the series.

There has been a late push for Charlie Gamble to be included in Joe Schmidt’s re-selected Wallabies side on Friday, but whoever is chosen, it’s clear the coach is leaning towards having two out-and-out sevens in the side.

“It lends itself to having a real presence at the breakdown,” said Hooper, who was speaking on behalf of IHG Hotels and Resorts.

“I’m thinking Joe wants a lot of energy, a lot of impact and a lot of presence at the breakdown at the back end of games.

“The Lions are spoiled for choice in the backrow and any backrow they choose is going to be world class.”

Michael Hooper and Lions guns Andrew Porter, Tommy Freeman and Finn Russell surprise Lions fan Lawrence Hanlen. “I’m just glad he recognised me - I haven’t played in two years,” said Hooper. Picture: Supplied

Aussie Opensides

Hooper ranks alongside George Smith, Phil Waugh and David Pocock as one of Australia’s best ever opensides, and now, five years into his Test career, McReight is looking to follow in his footsteps.

“Fraser’s one of the best at having a presence at the breakdown and we saw that last year with how influential he was in big games,” Hooper said. “I think his Test season last year was his arrival at that level.

“To have that performance on that stage and do it consistently, it was really good to see.

“You just want to see these guys stick around and keep working on their craft and keep developing.”

Fraser McReight scores against Fiji. Picture: Scott Gardiner/Getty Images

With six Test caps to his name, including a start on the bench behind McReight in last Sunday’s win over Fiji, Tizzano is a few years behind the Reds number seven.

Hooper shared time on the training paddock with Tizzano at the Waratahs, and has seen the 25-year-old’s development up close.

“He came on as a ball of energy and wanted to get his hands on everything, hit everything and do the most amount of extras,” he said.

“It seems like he’s worked out a way of having better impacts.

“Maybe not as many impacts, because you can’t do everything and you’ve only got a certain engine – although Carlo’s got a great engine and great physicality.

“But it’s about really choosing when to inject himself. That’s been a real level up for Carlo.

“He’s also shown a lot more than his defence. We all knew he could hit well, but he was the top try scorer in Super Rugby Pacific at one point, which is unusual for a forward.”

Carlo Tizzano has turned into a Test match gun. Picture: Matt Roberts/Getty Images

Sevens Heaven

Andy Farrell arrived in Australia with an embarrassment of backrow riches.

That includes 2022 World Rugby player of the year Josh van der Flier, England duo Curry and Pollock and the only Welsh player left in the squad, Jac Morgan, who was named Man-of-the-Match against the Reds.

“Morgan had a really clean game, and he’s able to turn the ball over but not give away any penalties,” Hooper said when asked to assess the opposition opensides. “I played against Curry a lot, and he can play other positions as well.

Henry pollock (L) gets stuck in against the Force. Picture: Janelle St Pierre/Getty Images

Ireland superstar Josh van der Flier. Picture: David Rogers/Getty Images

“I only played against van der Flier once, so I don’t know how they’ll play the backrow, because you’ve got two out-and-out sevens.

“With Pollock, I’ve only seen highlights after they started talking about this young guy coming out to tour.

“I’m excited to see him play.

“Do you go with two on the bench, which has its positives and negatives? It’s a good one for Andy.”

Picking an upset

After a shaky win over Fiji last weekend, the Wallabies are big underdogs going into the three match series, but Hooper doesn’t care.

“Two-one to Australia,” he says in between greeting guests as part of his new side hustle.

Two years after his last Test, Hooper has become one of the game’s best analysts and is also working with IHG Hotel and Resorts. Last week he surprised a Lions superfan named Lawrence Hanlen, who thought he was getting a regular airport transfer to the Intercontinental.

Instead, Hooper was waiting in the back seat, ready to chauffeur Lawrence around in his second trip Down Under to watch the Lions.

“That was nice for me as well actually, because I’m thinking, ‘I haven’t played in a while, I don’t know if he’ll recognise me’,” Hooper said. “To be a part of a moment like that, and to get to chat about rugby and where the game takes you, there’s nothing like it.

“And the banter started as soon as I opened the door, till the moment I said goodbye.”